The closure of well casings extending above the surface of the ground is required by many governmental agencies and regulations. Customarily, the closure is intended to prevent undesirable matter from falling into or being deposited into the well. Such closures generally take the form of loose-fitting caps placed over the exposed top of the casing. The use of such a cap prevents some smaller animals from entering the well. The cap may be bolted onto the casing or, in some cases, locked in place to prevent tampering. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a prior art well casing 1 and well cap 2, with FIG. 2 illustrating the particulars of well cap 2. In this prior art arrangement, the well cap is “tamper proof” by virtue of using a key 3 and lock 4 to attach cap 2 to casing 1 (with a plurality of screws 5 also used to hold cap 2 in place).
While such an arrangement does prevent the well cap from removed, if the key is lost or misplaced, the owner of the well may also experience difficulties or delays in accessing the well, such as when repairs or replacement of components is required.
Additionally, this type of well cap does not prevent small insects and other pests from entering the well (since the cap needs to be “loose fitting” to allow for continued ventilation). Another type of “vermin-proof” well cap has been developed that includes an airtight rubber gasket seal to prevent insects/pests from entering the well (while also including a small, screened vent to allow for air exchange). The “vermin-proof” well cap is not necessarily tamper-resistant. Moreover, many older well casings may not be able to utilize either the locking type of cap, the vermin-proof cap, or others of prior art caps that address these problems.
Thus, a need remains for a simpler arrangement for capping a well that is useful in preventing insects/pests from entering the well, while also providing evidence of any kind of attempt to tamper with the well, preferably remaining easy to use with existing well casing/cap arrangements.